9 December 2013

Over a hundred and fifty years ago, visitors and residents could walk from Hobart to Launceston more easily than modern, enlightened folk may do so now. At some places, on modern, major Tasmanian highways, no pedestrian acceſs exists. This is a lamentable, retrograde situation.

We believe that we need paths between cities and that such paths would, at a slight added expense (compared with the cost of constructing highways) provide manifold benefits to residents, visitors and busineſses and to the entire State. The paths, ideally, would feature bridges and ramps to allow maximal acceſs for elderly and disabled travellers and cyclists as well as occasional colonnades or covered walkways (and even pavilions, pagodas, gazebos, loggias and belvederes) and, at convenient intervals, camping facilities, public lavatories, kiosks, windbreaks, playgrounds, and well-directed acceſs to various local attractions and subsidiary services.

A pleasant way to travel the two hundred kilometres or so from Hobart to Launceston would be to amble, by easy stages, between towns, enjoying the diverse, delightful views, perhaps carrying (or arranging to collect) a packed picnic basket each day for leisurely lunches, and staying overnight at various, welcoming hostelries or camping sites, over the course of a week. A slightly more relaxing trip could involve riding some days in a rickshaw or pedicab or even on a hired Segway. (Someone in a hurry, if reasonably fit, might comfortably walk from Hobart to Launceston, on a smooth, well-maintained path, within four days.)

a general principle:

We hold as a general principle that whithersoever a person may lawfully travel by motor vehicle a person should also be able to travel by foot or wheelchair or other small, personal conveyance just as readily.Pathways—suitable for foot-traffic and wheelchairs—should be provided as a matter of equity besides (or conveniently near) every highway and major public road. Such pathways would provide residents and visitors safe, undemanding and, haply, pleasant walks between Tasmania’s cities and towns, with straightforward acceſs to tourist attractions. It is, surely, ridiculous that people can perambulate easily through national parks on specially constructed, wooden walkways but they cannot travel to those same parks by way of decent footpaths.

other pages:

endorsements:

“I am a supporter.”—Andrew Wilkie MP(Federal member for Denison)

“On behalf of the Council I congratulate your organisation on its commitment to developing a continuous footpath connecting Hobart and Launceston.”—Maree Bricknell(A/General Manager, Northern Midlands Council)

“I appreciate the work that you have undertaken and I wish you the best as this proceſs continues.”—Sen. Eric Abetz(Leader of the Government in the Senate)

sponsor:

mottoes:

καὶ τἀγαθὸν μὲν εὔκτητον . . .—Ἐπίκουρος

Undoubtedly there is an immense amount of pleasure and profit to be gained by flitting along in a car or skimming the earth in a ’plane; but, if you really wish to SEE a country for yourself, there is only one way—walk!—E. T. Emmett, Tasmania by Road and Track (Melbourne, 1952), Preface.

Tasmanians for Proper Footpaths between All Cities and Towns. Simple theme. Powered by Blogger.